Improvement in h am e-fastenings



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo WETH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAM E-FASTENINGS.

Specilicationformirg part of Letters Patent No. 41,962, dated March 15, 1364.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJOHN MOLAIN, of Col unibia City, in the county of Vhitley and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hame-Fastenings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this speeication.

Said drawing represents a front elevation of my invention,part1y in section.

This invention consists in the arrangement of curved slides inserted into the ends of the hames, one of said slides being made adjustable by means of a screw passing through the hame and fitting into different holes in said slide, and the other slide being provided with ratchet-teeth and made adjustable by means of a spring-catch in such a manner that the hame can be opened and closed and adjusted to the necks of different horses whenever it may be desired.

To enable those skilled in the art to malie and use my invention, l will proceed to describe it.

A represents hames made of two side pieces or bows, a b, curved in the ordinary manner and united at or near thetop by a strap, c, or any other equivalent means.

B is a slide which is inserted into the bottom end of the bow, and this slide is retained by a screw, d, which passes through the boW a and through one ot' the holes e in the slide. By means ot' these holes lthe slide can be adjusted to suit convenience or necessity.

C is another similar slide, which is inserted into the bottom end of the bow b.1 This slide is provided with ratchet-teeth f, and it is retained in the desired situation by a springcatch, g, which is secured to the outsidesurface of thebow b. The teethf are so formed that the slide C can be readily pushed in; but if it is desired to pull it out the spring-catch has to be raised so as to release said teeth. The slide C can thus be readily pushed in or drawn out whenever it may be desired to shorten or to lengthen the side piece, b,of the hame.

The slides B C are made of thin curved pieces of sheet metal or other suitable material, and they are provided with loops h atA their ends to receiveihe connecting-link t'.

By pulling out the slide C the haine can be thrown open, and it can now be readily put on the back of a horse or other draft-animal, and by properlyshifting bot-h slides the hames can be adjusted to suit the necks of different animals.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of slides B C, adjustable by'a screw, d, and holes ,or by ratchet-teeth f and spring-catch g, in combination with the bows a b of hames A, constructed and operating, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.

' J N O. MCLAIN. Witnesses: i

JOSHUA Bnonns,

W. F. Woon. 

